Taiwan (officially known as the Republic of China) is an island nation located in the East of China. This country, which is historically related to Mainland China, is politically independent of the People’s Republic. However, many of their primary languages are closely related to China’s.
So, what is Taiwanese language? There are three official languages in Taiwan. These include Mandarin, Taiwanese Hokkien, and Hakka. A majority of the people in Taiwan (around 73%) speak Taiwanese Hokkien. Mandarin is understood by all and serves as a lingua franca.
Taiwanese Hokkien itself is a special topolect of Classical Chinese. The history of this language is quite interesting. In this article, we will cover just that, and also try and give you an insight on how it differs from Mandarin. We will also share insights on how the languages of Taiwan influence everyday interactions between the people in the country. So read on!
Table of Contents
The main language of the Taiwanese people
As mentioned above, about 73% of the population in Taiwan speak a special topolect of Chinese known as the Taiwanese Hokkien. It is the most common language used among the population and can be seen and heard all over in public.
The history of the Taiwanese Hokkien is quite interesting. It originally emerged as the Southern Min dialect of the Fujian (the Chinese province closest to Taiwan). Following long suppression from the Japanese and then later the Chinese, Hokkien saw a revival among the Taiwanese people during the 1990s. And today, it has established itself as the most common language in the country.
Most of the youth in Taiwan today grow up with a mastery of both Mandarin and the Taiwanese Hokkien. Hokkien is also popular among a lot of expatriate Chinese living abroad.
Mandarin in Taiwan
Mandarin (or Taiwanese Mandarin) is the official and the most understood language in Taiwan. It naturally serves as the lingua franca of the country.
Standard Chinese was established as the official language of Taiwan in 1945, after its foundation. It is only in recent decades that the other dialects such as Hokkien and Hakka have seen a resurgence. However, almost every Taiwanese under the age of sixty can speak fluent Mandarin.
Taiwanese Mandarin varies a bit from Mandarin Chinese. The standard official version of the language is more or less similar to the Standard Mandarin used in the People’s Republic of China. It gets a bit tricky when it comes to the written aspect of this language, though.
While the vocabulary of the Mandarin spoken in Taiwan is still modern, the country uses the traditional system of characters to write the language. This is in contrast to mainland China, which has adopted a simplified way of writing the characters (known as simplified Chinese characters).
In terms of the Taiwanese Mandarin spoken by the general population, there are some differences from Standard Mandarin used in mainland China. These differences in grammar, pronunciation, and vocabulary arose due to the influence of the other native languages of Taiwan, like the Hokkien and the Hakka.
Hakka is the latest official language in Taiwan
The Hakka people are the second largest ethnic group in Taiwan, making up around 15 – 20% of the population. These people, also known as the Hakka Han, are basically Han people who had their ancestral homes in the Hakka-speaking Chinese provinces of Guangdong, Fujian, Jiangxi, Guangxi, Sichuan, Hunan, Zhejiang, Hainan and Guizhou provinces.
In an effort to preserve their cultural heritage, the language was given official status in Taiwan in 2017.
Suppression of the Dialects
During the period of the Japanese occupation and then later the authoritarian single-party rule or the KMT (Kuomintang), Taiwan saw a suppression of the various Chinese dialects. Languages such as the Taiwanese Hokkien and the Hakka were restricted from schools and the media.
The Japanese occupied Taiwan between 1895 and the end of the second world war in 1945. The KMT was the ruling party in Mainland China before their loss in the Chinese Civil war. They were overthrown in 1949, after which they fled to Taiwan, which it proceeded to govern as a single-party state.
The resurgence of democracy in the 1990s saw the revival of the suppressed Chinese dialects in Taiwan. There have been major movements, continuing on to this day, that promote the use of these dialects to preserve the cultural heritage of the people. The Taiwanese Hokkien has today become the most widely spoken language in the country, while the Hakka has seen a major resurgence.
What indigenous languages are spoken in Taiwan?
There have been people living on the island of Taiwan for well over 10000 years. So there are a few indigenous languages that are still alive today. But these are, however, on the brink of extinction, since the indigenous population makes up only a small minority. Also, the minority have become assimilated, so only the older population speak these languages today.
Amis is probably the most spoken of the indigenous languages. Taiwan has been enforcing a powerful educational program to try and keep this language alive. Another indigenous language is Siraya. This language, which was once already extinct, is now being revived.
What other languages are spoken in Taiwan?
There are several immigrant languages spoken throughout Taiwan, including the likes of Tibetan and Vietnamese. But the two languages that have a significant influence on the Taiwanese people are Japanese and English.
Japanese in Taiwan
The Japanese language and culture were first introduced to Taiwan during Japan’s colonial rule of the Island between 1895 and 1945. The Japanese authorities tried to suppress all dialects of Chinese and introduce their own culture to the country. This is the reason why many of Taiwan’s older population still understand Japanese.
In the modern era, there are two groups in Taiwan most influenced by the Japanese language. Firstly it is understood and used by a section of the young urban population that looks up to Japanese Pop culture. Secondly, it is used by students who studied in Japan and businesspeople who do business there.
English in Taiwan
English has, for some time, established itself as the lingua franca of the international community. It is widely used in business and also occupies a hugely influential position in Pop culture. So it is no surprise that more and more Taiwanese people are learning the language.
It is now a compulsory language taught in schools, which is why there are a large number of young Taiwanese people who speak excellent English. There have been talks about wanting to make Taiwan a bilingual country by 2030.
In recent years, there have been talks about awarding an official language status to English in Taiwan. This is an understandable desire, given the country’s geopolitical position and tension with the People’s Republic of China.
Conclusion
In conclusion, Taiwan has three official languages. Among these, the Taiwanese Hokkien, which is a topolect of Chinese, is the most widely spoken language, used by over 70% of the population.
Mandarin is another official language that is understood by almost everyone in the country, and hence serves as a lingua franca for the Taiwanese. While the vocabulary is the same as that used in mainland China, Taiwan uses the classical system of writing as opposed to the simplified characters.
Hakka is spoken by around 10-15% of the population. In an effort to preserve the dialect, it was given the status of an official language in 2017. Owing mostly to its democratic beliefs, the country has made it a priority to preserve all cultures and their heritages. In recent years, there have also been talks of giving another language an official status: English.